Dems distance themselves from Cuyahoga County scandal

Thursday

Jul 31, 2008 at 12:01 AMJul 31, 2008 at 7:43 PM

Although both Democratic challengers for Ohio Supreme Court seats have their roots in Cuyahoga County Democratic politics, both are taking pains to distance themselves from the contracting scandal that ripping through the county party.

Although both Democratic challengers for Ohio Supreme Court seats have their roots in Cuyahoga County Democratic politics, both are taking pains to distance themselves from the contracting scandal that ripping through the county party.

Peter M. Sikora, a Cuyahoga County juvenile-court judge running against incumbent Evelyn Lundberg Stratton, took $1,000 from the campaign committee of Cuyahoga County Auditor Frank Russo, a key figure in the scandal.

Sikora doesn't plan to return the money unless Russo is indicted or worse, said Alan Melamed, a spokesman for the candidate.

"It's obviously an unfortunate situation, what's going on," Melamed said. "It's important to distinguish between an investigation and an indictment or some action. It's all speculation."

The other Democratic candidate, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Joseph D. Russo, did not receive any donations from Frank Russo, but shares his last name. Judge Russo is running against Supreme Court Justice Maureen O'Connor.

Judge Russo said the name is all they share. They're not relatives, he said.

Russo said he asked his campaign treasurer to search for any donations from Frank Russo or Jimmy Dimora, the Cuyahoga County commissioner and county Democratic party chairman, and return those contributions. Dimora also is implicated in the contracting scandal.

Campaign finance reports don't show any contributions from Frank Russo or Dimora through the end of June, but Joseph Russo said those may show up on a later report.